Brenton's Breath

 Synopsis: 

As KJ and Fish continue to investigate, an increasingly nervous Pete considers his options. DiAngelo goes in search of a possible witness.

Run time: 57 minutes

**Warning: The below narrative of the episode may contain spoilers.**

We see Pete washing his Ford Explorer. We then see him in a steamy bathroom mirror. Marie comes up behind him and starts kissing on him obviously wanting him to make love to her. He asks about the baby. Marie tells him that the doctor said that it's good for labor. Pete then proceeds to comply with Marie's request, but seems to get a little rough at first as she tells him not to rip them (referring to her panties) because they are new from Victoria's. He positions himself behind her and Marie pants and looks at him in the steamed-up mirror and a few seconds later, it's as if Pete can't perform. Cut to the hospital where you see a ventilator machine and hear a monitor beeping. You see Latrice's hand with a washcloth as she starts to pat Brenton's right hand with it. She stands up to rinse the cloth of and wrings it out. She looks down and sees a paper seagull that Brenton had made lying just below his right hand. She drops the washcloth and picks up the seagull and looks over at Brenton, then back at the seagull.

Cut to KJ following a guard down a jail corridor. They stop at Mac Dorsey's jail cell and the guard leaves her to speak with him through the bars of the cell. She introduces herself and states that she is with the prosecutor's office. Before he even begins to acknowledge her, she starts to speak to him by saying, "You said you were asleep in your car under the Pulaski Bridge when you were arrested last night". He then speaks and says, "Fuck you". As he is lying on his cell bed, you can tell he is going through withdrawals. KJ looks to her left to see if the guard is looking on. She then looks to her right. She tells Mr. Dorsey that this will help with the shakes and pulls out a small bottle of liquor and passes it through the bars of the cell and places it on a flat surface. It looks like it's in a mouthwash bottle. Mr. Dorsey is watching her every move.

She then states that the Pulaski is far from the park and asks him if he is sure that's where he was sleeping. He confirms this. She asks him if anyone can confirm this and he quickly jumps up off of his cell bed to grab the small bottle of alcohol. He opens the bottle and quickly chugs it down. She starts stating facts to Mr. Dorsey saying that there was a pint of whiskey in his car that he hadn't touched. She asks him if he had just purchased the whiskey. She asks him what time he bought the booze. He looks down, shaking his head, and states that he doesn't remember. She then addresses him as Mac, instead of Mr. Dorsey, trying to be a little more personal with him. She tells him to look at her. He looks up at her and she asks him where he normally buys his liquor. She asks if there is a particular place he likes to go. He says, "Charlie, the guy at the store.  A-1 Westside Ave., lets me clean up in his toilet". She thanks him and calls for the officer. KJ and the officer walk away from the camera leaving the area of the cell.

Back at the hospital we see Latrice sitting down holding the seagull she had found by Brenton's hand. She is staring at Brenton and then suddenly jumps up and rushes over to him. She looks down at Brenton and places her right hand on top of his hand and just says, "Nurse". She then starts loudly yelling, "Nurse. Nurse!" and rushes out into the hallway yelling for the nurse.

Isaiah and Seth come running down the hospital hallway in their winter coats. They meet Latrice in the hallway and Isaiah asks where Brenton is. Latrice explains that they've taken him downstairs for more tests but she saw him blink. Isaiah questions her. She looks at Seth and says that she saw him blink his eyes. Isaiah wants to know what it means. Latrice says that the doctors did a scan and she said there were lines on the scan which means there was brain activity. Seth puts his left hand over his mouth and looks like he is about to cry. Latrice looks at Isaiah and tells him that it means that he may be able to come back to them. Seth then says, "All right, he's going to need a lot of mental stimulation, talking, music." Latrice looks over at Seth as he is talking. She is shaking her head in agreement and has a look of excitement on her face. Seth then states that he's seen people with worse brain injuries recover from this "over there". Seth is referring to his tour of duty overseas. Latrice is wanting to call the whole family to come and visit, play his favorite music and wants Seth to put his uniform back on. She says that Brenton wanted to see Seth in his uniform so bad. Seth then says, "Um, anything for Little Man."

Isaiah and Latrice embrace each other and hug as they keep repeating "God is good". Seth looks on and smiles.

Back at the station we see DiAngelo eating a doughnut and offering one to Manny who is refusing. While Felix, Manny and another cop joke around with each other, Pete walks in and sits down beside DiAngelo's desk. DiAngelo tells them to finish their breakfast and tells Manny he is with Osorio today and tells him to call him on his cell later. Manny gets up and grabs the brim of his ball cap and adjusts it up and down slightly as if aggravated. DiAngelo tells Pete that he is with him today. Manny questions DiAngelo, "the new guy? Seriously?" Felix looks over at Manny as he is questioning his superior. Manny then says to DiAngelo, "You breaking of the team, Di? You and me, Starsky and Hutch, baby." DiAngelo tells Manny to get out of there and go do his job. Manny and Felix leave as Pete looks down toward the floor. In the background you can see a female sitting by a desk looking on. DiAngelo asks Pete how he's holding up. Pete tells him he's good. DiAngelo chuckles and the says, "Leave him alone, mamita, he's married." The camera zooms away to show the woman eyeballing Pete. She replies with, "I don't mind married. I don't kiss and tell." She uncrosses her legs. DiAngelo tells Pete to get up and for them to go. As they are leaving, the female asks Pete, "You new here, papi? You cute". He looks at her as she is slinked back in the chair with her legs spread a little wearing faded black jeans with rips in them and a multi-colored striped shirt. Her right hand is handcuffed to the desk. As DiAngelo and Pete are leaving, the woman makes a "kiss" face at Pete.

DiAngelo and Pete are driving down a street and as they are passing what appears to be a white garage with red graffiti that reads "VOLTS" on it, DiAngelo tells Pete, "You work narcotics in the South District, girls like that are just part of the uh the benefits package." Pete tells DiAngelo that he never even took a free cup of coffee when worked on the East side. DiAngelo tells Pete that he's an idealist with a badge and that Pete reminds him of himself back in the day.

DiAngelo tells Pete to open his window. Pete opens the window and DiAngelo asks him if he's freezing. Pete tells him yes. DiAngelo then says, "Good, that's going to wake you up, because this shit ain't patrol. There's no parking behind the 7-Eleven, jerking off till your shift's over.  We're like athletes.  Can't think about what they're doing, they just gotta do.  You think too much, you fuck it up.  Now for players, that's that's just a lost game.  But for us? That's me showing up to Osorio's house, telling his mama her son's dead." Pete asks, "Who's the guy? The one they put away for it." DiAngelo replies, "He's a bum. Would've killed somebody someday.  Good riddance."

Cut to Felix and Manny riding in a car. Manny is in the passenger side asking Felix where DiAngelo found Jablonski. Felix quickly replies, "East District. Was teaching one of those undercover classes he does at different precincts.  Went over to Jablonski's house a few times, whatever.  You know how he gets about the new guy." Manny scoffs and says that all those cops from the East District arrest yuppies for drunk and disorderlies. He then calls Jablonski a rookie. Manny thinks Jablonski may crack. Felix tells Manny that DiAngelo vouches for him and that Pete's good people. Manny appears to be developing a hatred for Pete.

KJ is seen entering her apartment talking on her cell phone leaving a voicemail for 'Fish' asking her to call her when he gets the message. She puts her briefcase down on the floor against a wall as she is saying on her message that it's in regards to Dorsey. She disconnects the call and opens her refrigerator door. There we see the contents of her refrigerator. Her refrigerator consists mostly of alcohol. She then shuts the refrigerator door without getting anything out of it. You hear a doorbell ring and KJ is standing outside of a door when a woman opens it. She asks the woman if James is home. The woman looks at her like KJ has some nerve showing up unannounced. The woman has yet to speak to KJ. KJ then says she needs to speak with him about a case. The woman stands to the side and her body language says to KJ that she can enter the home. She tells KJ that she can wait right there. The woman slams the door shut and walks off in a hurry to go get James.

In the background you can hear the woman and man arguing. The woman asks him, "What the hell is she doing here?" He tells her to calm down. She tells him he needs to handle this. She tells him, "It's not happening again." The man says, "I'll take care of it. Calm down." Are viewers to believe that KJ and James had an affair at some point in the past?

James enters to KJ's right and asks her if she has lost her mind. She starts to explain to James that Dorsey didn't do the hit-and-run and that he was at a liquor store across town, three miles from the park when the accident happened. James questions who Dorsey is and KJ explains to him that he is the suspect in the hit-and-run of the 15-year-old teenager. She said that she tried to call him but he wasn't answering his phone. She tells James that the victim is from a good family and that James is at the start of his campaign and they can't ignore this. He wants to know if the papers are picking it up and KJ tells him no. In the background, the viewer can see the woman, which is assumed to be the wife, pacing back and forth, looking on as KJ and James are talking.

KJ explains to James that his family are churchgoers who most likely vote, and every vote counts. She tells him that he knows she's right. He tells her not to let her caseload slip. He walks her to the door and she thanks him. As she exits, he tells her not to come to his home and shuts the door.

Isaiah is speaking with an insurance representative or financial counselor with the hospital who tells him that it is wonderful how well his son is doing. He tells Isaiah that he sees that he has a deductible plan with his wife's insurance. Isaiah asks about the cost. The insurance representative or financial counselor says, "We're looking $350 per day in the ICU. With Dr. Sangupta's recommendation, he'll be here from 30 to 45 days. I've also included surgery costs, rehabilitation, lab tests." He hands Isaiah a piece of paper with the amount. Isaiah then tells him that they just bought a house. The man states that if there is financial hardship they have programs to help. Isaiah is quick to point out that he has a job and tells him that they will figure it out. The man states that he understands but then says they will need to discuss a payment plan and asks Isaiah how much he can start out with today.

Isaiah is next seen walking toward Brenton's room. There is a female sitting next to Latrice speaking to Brenton and Latrice is smiling. Isaiah walks in and tells Latrice that he has to go to work and the he wants her to stay there with Brenton and to call the school and let them know that she needs some time off. The woman in the room says she will call and Latrice acknowledges her as Marcelle and thanks her. Seth and Marcelle leave the room to give Latrice and Isaiah some privacy with Brenton.

Latrice asks Isaiah to go over and talk to Brenton before he goes because it would be good for Brenton to hear his voice. Viewers can hear the ventilator still pumping life into Brenton. Isaiah seems hesitant. Latrice tells him, "Come on. Tell him you love him. Tell him." Isaiah looks down at Brenton. Seth is standing in the doorway with his head down and then looks in, watching Isaiah. Isaiah says, "He already knows." Isaiah turns and leaves. He walks past his brother, Seth, without acknowledging him. Isaiah is seen cleaning a floor with a sprayer at what looks like a meat factory. He is wearing a rubber apron-type garment over a white jumpsuit and white rubber boots. The floor is white and there is still some blood on the floor. The viewer can see what looks like meat hooks hanging from the ceiling. He stops, pauses, and just looks around momentarily.

Isaiah then gets distracted and hears a noise behind a metal door. He walks over to it and pushes it open. Viewers can hear sheep bleating and chickens clucking as Isaiah walks down a narrow aisle. He walks over to the sheep and looks down at them. It looks as if he tries to get one to come to him to maybe try to pet it, but none of them come to him. Might this be symbolic for something?

We next see KJ pull up behind a Toyota Camry in a driveway to a brick house. She quickly gets out of her Nissan SUV and walks up to the doorway. The house number is 86. As she begins to knock on the door, dogs start barking. You can hear 'Fish' yelling, "Shut up!" He is more than likely yelling this to his dogs. 'Fish' opens the door to see a very anxious KJ asking him where he was because she left three messages. He corrects her and states that she left him exactly seven messages. One of his dogs comes rushing up and he tells the dog lovingly, "Now don't make me put you in the hole, huh?" He tells KJ to "duck in" before they get out. He tells her not to stare at them because dogs don't like to be stared at. As she enters his home, there are several dogs sitting on the living room floor. 'Fish' starts to introduce her to his dogs. He says, "This is Jack and Jill, they're the twins. They're going blind.  Uh, this is Ginger over here, right? She I got in Atlantic City.  This is Lady here.  She's almost 15.  That's why she's got to wear that diaper." KJ quickly interrupts and asks why he didn't call her back. He states that he turns his phone off while he sleeps so it doesn't mess with his circadian rhythms. He then says, "It'd probably be good for your OCD, for your DTs."

(Side note: In the scene, 'Fish' only gives the names of four dogs, however, we can see six.  The one that greeted KJ at the door, quickly runs up the stairs as he starts to introduce her to the twins)

KJ tells 'Fish' that she wants to get Brenton's clothes over to the crime lab so they can test for paint transfer from the vehicle. She then states that she wants to talk with "that narc's CI" because he may have mistaken Dorsey for someone else. 'Fish' tells her that first off, this isn't the crime of the century and that the kid was probably a gang member. He then says, "And second, I'm not the "almost dead police," okay? Kid ain't dead. Call me when he is." KJ fires back with, "Well, prosecutors outrank detectives so get dressed, let's go." 'Fish' looks up and says, "Oh, really? You went there, huh? Well, the kids haven't eaten yet, and Jackson, he's missing his epiglottis, so I got to put him in his high chair, and feed him with the funnel, then we can go."

(Viewers now know the names to at least five of the six dogs) KJ tells him that she will meet him at the district.

Back at the district, Manny is joking around and you can hear DiAngelo's loud chuckle. 'Fish' and KJ walk up to DiAngelo's desk. 'Fish' introduces himself to DiAngelo. DiAngelo introduces 'Fish' to Manny and Felix who are the only two on his team present. There are uniformed officers sitting around talking with them as well. 'Fish' states that he hates to hassle DiAngelo but they need to talk to their CI about the job they worked last night. About this time, the uniformed officers get up and leave. KJ quickly points out that they need to speak with the CI who identified Mac Dorsey. DiAngelo says, "You know, they call it a "Confidential Informant" for a reason, Marcia Clark." 'Fish' tells DiAngelo that he tried to explain that to her.

KJ tells DiAngelo that she can't make the charges stick to Dorsey if she can't speak with his CI. He quickly says that she can't make the charges stick if she doesn't show up for court. She tells DiAngelo that they believe Dorsey was across town when the kid was hit. DiAngelo says, "Yeah, says a guy whose brain's been soaking in Jim Beam for 50 years?" KJ then replies, "Not him, the store owner who sold him the Jim Beam." DiAngelo asks if that's correct. He then insinuates that's his mistake. Manny intervenes stating that CI's lie all the time. KJ still insists that she would still like to speak with him. DiAngelo says that he will see what he can do. He asks KJ to leave him her personal cell and she says that he can reach her at the office and that he knows the number.

KJ turns and looks at 'Fish' and tells him they need to go to the hospital. 'Fish' tells her that he needs to get the kid's clothes to the lab and the accident unit down to the park. She tells him, "Fine. Do that." KJ walks off. She walks off and 'Fish' shakes his head. Felix looks on. DiAngelo, out of nowhere, asks 'Fish' if he's slept with her yet. 'Fish' questions that remark and DiAngelo says that everyone there has. Felix quickly interrupts to change the subject. He asks about the kid and asks if he's still in the ICU. DiAngelo says he has to leave, he gets up and tells 'Fish' that it was good to see him. He tells 'Fish' to keep him in the loop and he will get back with him if he has any tips about his CI. As 'Fish' leaves, he turns back to see DiAngelo putting on his jacket and telling Wilcox that he's with him today.

Felix follows them down the hall and questions them loudly about Dorsey saying that they said Dorsey was solid. Manny tells Felix to keep his voice down. Felix tells DiAngelo that they are out on a limb for a new guy that nobody knows. DiAngelo assures Felix that he knows him and trusts him and the is taking care of this. Felix then says that DiAngelo said the same about Dorsey. DiAngelo grabs Felix and asks him if he wants to repeat that because he didn't hear him right the first. He then tells him to go do his job.

Marie and Teresa are walking upstairs to the baby's room and Teresa is saying that she got the back room at Mancini's and that there will be 30 of them. It will be her (Teresa), Jake, Nona, Pops, and his wife. Marie looks in to see Pete wallpapering the room. She says, "Wow, babe. Nice!" Teresa says, "I thought you were gonna paint." Pete explains that the wallpaper is better for the baby because there's no fumes. Teresa says, "Paint's more permanent, you're not gonna have to redo it every year. What you got there's kind of cheap." Pete tells her it's Bed Bath & Beyond. Teresa then says, "I saw that same design at Walmart last week. I don't know." Marie quickly intervenes to explain how they were just talking about the christening brunch. Teresa then asks Pete if anyone is coming from his side because he can't be adding names at the last minute. He interrupts her and tells her that he heard her the first time. Marie intervenes and says she left her cell phone downstairs and asks Teresa to go get it for her because she just remembered a few names she wants to add to the list. Teresa leaves and walks downstairs.

Pete tells Marie that her cousin is a bitch and it's no wonder that her boyfriend kicked her out. Marie tells Pete that he always lets Teresa get to him and that he's a good daddy. She then says the room looks great and refers to their unborn son as "Little Poke" and says that he likes it, too. Then the next dialogue takes place and it is uncertain at this point who it is referencing.

Marie: "You ever think maybe you ought to invite him?" Pete: "No." Marie: "He called again.  He wants to see you. I told him about the baby." Pete: "You did what?" Marie: "He keeps calling, what was I supposed to do?" Pete: "You don't pick up the phone, that's what." Marie: "Okay." Marie then leaves the room.

Seth and Latrice are talking in Brenton's room and KJ knocks on the door. Latrice tells her that she can come in. She slowly enters with a gentleman that she introduces as their evidence technician. Latrice sits up straight. KJ explains that they need to process Brenton for any evidence that may have transferred during the accident. Seth asks why they need to do that now. KJ explains that sometimes debris from the vehicle sometimes gets on the victim and can help with the investigation. Seth then states that they said they got the man who did this. KJ explains that it's a formality and then says to Latrice that she will need her consent for the collection and hands her a form to sign.

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